The defendant charged with multiple violations related to the illegal killing of a bull elk during last month’s Tennessee elk hunt has pleaded guilty to all charges.
Timothy C. Copeland, 56, of Crossville, pleaded guilty in Campbell Co. General Sessions Court yesterday to four charges including: Shooting from a public road, hunting from a motor vehicle, hunting in a closed area, and possession of illegally killed big game.
TWRA Wildlife Officer Michael Cavins reports that on Tuesday, around 6:30 p.m., Copeland spotted a bull elk while driving a truck in the Adkins Mtn. area of the NCWMA. He then exited the truck and shot the elk from the roadway. Copeland was drawn to hunt in Elk Zone 5 but harvested the animal in Elk Zone 2 in violation of his permit that requires hunters to stay within their drawn zone. Copeland and two accompanying observers then took the elk to the NCWMA headquarters for analysis by TWRA, and biologists became concerned when Copeland could not produce accurate GPS coordinates or identify the location of the kill. Officers began investigating the incident leading to seizure of the 5x6 bull weighing 580 lbs. that had been taken a meat processor in Crossville. A Browning 30-.06 rifle was also collected.
Copeland appeared before Judge Amanda Sammons in Campbell Co. General Sessions Court yesterday at 9 a.m. pleading guilty to all charges.The Campbell Co. District Attorney’s Office negotiated a plea agreement with the defendant who was not assessed fines on the charges, but was ordered to pay a court cost of $325.50 in addition to $9,750 in restitution for the bull elk. The firearm belonging to Copeland was returned and his privileges to hunt in Tennessee have been revoked for one year. Additionally, he is not permitted to enter into the TWRA elk drawings for 10 years. The hide and antlers were forfeited to TWRA to be used for educational purposes and the meat is to be donated to worthy recipients.